Apple and Tahini Baked Oat Bars

Confession: I really hate granny smith apples. I'm sure they're actually delicious and perfect with a little PB drizzle, but it is just one of those hold overs from childhood that I mentally cannot get past.

Last week I found myself with four of them in my weekly Hungry Harvest delivery box and knew that the only way I would eat them would be if I baked them into something sweet.

Enter the Apple and Tahini Baked Oat Bar. Made with thick rolled oats and my favorite tahini from Soom foods, they are perfect for a quick breakfast or snack.

Ingredients:

Bar -

2 cups rolled oats

2 cups non-dairy milk

2 tbsp tahini

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp maple syrup

3 granny smith apples

Crumble Top -

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tbsp tahini

1 tbsp non-dairy milk

1 tbsp coconut sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 and line an 8"x11" baking pan with parchment paper.

Slice apples thinly on a mandolin or with a knife. You want to try to get them as thin as possible so they bake in nicely with the oats.

Assemble bar ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Combine wet ingredients with a whisk taking care to make sure the tahini is fully mixed in.

Thoroughly mix in dry bar ingredients.

Set the bowl to the side to allow the oats to expand.

Combine ingredients for the crumble top starting with tahini, milk and coconut sugar then adding cinnamon and oats.

Assmble the bars starting with a layer of oatmeal mixture, then a layer of apple slices, then a layer of oats, another layer of apples and then the crumble top.

Place in the oven and bake for 45 minutes.

Allow bars to cool fully before cutting into squares. Store in the refrigerator and reheat in oven or toaster oven.